Closer than ever

The Hope Beyond Josiah

(1 Chronicles 3:15-24, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, June 25, 2017)

[15] The sons of Josiah: Johanan the firstborn, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum. [16] The descendants of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son; [17] and the sons of Jeconiah, the captive: Shealtiel his son, [18] Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama and Nedabiah; [19] and the sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei; and the sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam and Hananiah, and Shelomith was their sister; [20] and Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab-hesed, five. [21] The sons of Hananiah: Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, his son Rephaiah, his son Arnan, his son Obadiah, his son Shecaniah. [22] The son of Shecaniah: Shemaiah. And the sons of Shemaiah: Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat, six. [23] The sons of Neariah: Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam, three. [24] The sons of Elioenai: Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani, seven.

Before we forge ahead with today's verses, it might serve us well to take a step back and consider for a moment what the Chronicler is doing in this retelling of Israelite history. He is writing for those who are living under the authority of worldly powers who do not share their understanding of God, of life, of the future, and of everything. The immediate recipients of these writings needed to have courage in the face of very difficult challenges. They needed to believe that God's promises were true, and that they should devote themselves to serving the Lord.

The sons and grandson of Josiah

Now back to the specific verses at the end of a section on the descendants of David. After good king Josiah, there were only disappointing rulers in Judah. The sons and grandson of Josiah were evil. They were not faithful in hearing and obeying the Word of the Lord.

The line of David in the captivity - The known

Yet the Lord's promises were not overturned by their wretched reigns. There would still be an eternal King who would one day come from the descendants of David. Who would that king be? When would he come? All the Chronicler could do was record what he knew, leaving these records for the consideration of future generations.

I recently read the unpublished memoir of a great man. At the end of his book he had to add more information to keep his account up to date. A few years had passed and there was more to say. He did that more than once. In the end it was up to someone else to record the day of his death and to make this parting comment in honor of a man who finished well: “A good and faithful servant who went to be with the Lord...” and the date of his death was entered. Inspiring.

Each of us can only say what we know, but the Lord knows everything. The Chronicler knew that the three sons and one grandson of Josiah had finished their years with a whimper. None of them had attained to the greatness of Josiah. One is noted here as “the captive” and his life was probably the best of those listed, though the story of even his immediate children and grandchildren is difficult to sort out. We read about his release from prison at the end of 2 Kings:

[27] And in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, graciously freed Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison. [28] And he spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat above the seats of the kings who were with him in Babylon. [29] So Jehoiachin put off his prison garments. And every day of his life he dined regularly at the king's table, [30] and for his allowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king, according to his daily needs, as long as he lived.

The Chronicler does not include that kindness shown to the royal captive. He simply records this about the same king in 2 Chronicles 36:9-10:

[9] Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. [10] In the spring of the year King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with the precious vessels of the house of the LORD, and made his brother Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.

He ends his book instead with the proclamation of Cyrus in 2 Chronicles 36:22-23:

[22] Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: [23] “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the LORD his God be with him. Let him go up.’”

The Lord was in charge. He would accomplish all His purposes. It was time to go up. So hear were the names of the people in the line of David that we knew about to Zerubbabel and beyond.

The line of David in the captivity - The unknown - See Matthew 1 and Luke 3

This one had two sons, and another had five. One had six sons, another seven. The Chronicler put down what he knew, but he did not know everything. There were other descendants of Zerubbabel not listed here. Matthew 1 and Luke 3 includes the names of Abiud and Rhesa.

The eternal Son of God – We are closer than ever to the resurrection temple – Don't faint!

Their lines continued on and eventually led to Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God. He displayed who He was not only by teaching with authority, but by doing the signs of Messiah recorded for us in the Old Testament prophets. Zerubbabel went back into the land and was important for the building of a new temple, but Jesus healed a leper by touching him and saying, “I will; be clean.” He took the leprosy of our sin on the cross and He rose from the dead. And there's more to come.

The kings of Judah after Josiah were all weak and evil. Yet the Lord preserved the line of David through the entire time of captivity, and far beyond the restoration right through the very unexpected coming of Jesus. Soon after his earliest months, a wicked ruler wanted Jesus dead before He had any chance to establish His kingdom. Yet God's kingdom is unstoppable. Our Savior, the first Man of a new resurrection era, lives. Far beyond anything that man could know or do, the final Son of David reigns forever as the eternal Son of God. Babylon rejects that message, but the citizens of a New Jerusalem believe. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart...”

Old Testament Reading—Psalm 19 – The Heavens, the Scriptures, and Our Plea to God

Gospel Reading—Matthew 8:1-4 – [1] When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. [2] And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” [3] And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. [4] And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”